Rwanda’s economy grew by 9.4% in 2025, reaching 23.387 trillion Rwandan francs, up from 19.918 trillion francs in 2024. The growth was mainly driven by services which contributed 52%, followed by industry at 22% and agriculture at 20%.
Across the year, the economy showed steady momentum, growing by 6.5% in the first quarter, 7.8% in the second, 11.8% in the third, and 11.2% in the fourth quarter.
These figures were released at a time when an ongoing war in the Middle East involving Iran, the United States, and Israel is affecting trade flows, including the United Arab Emirates, a key export market for Rwanda.
According to local media IGIHE, Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, Dr. Yusuf Murangwa, said Rwanda has already started preparing for the impact of this situation.
“There are goods we export to those countries, and others that pass through them to different destinations. This is especially a problem for fruits and vegetables, which currently cannot be exported there. That alone is a challenge,” he said.
For Rwanda, the effects are already being felt in trade, especially in perishable exports. However, agriculture still grew by 3%, with exports increasing by 32%, mainly driven by a 60% rise in coffee production and 8% in tea. In industry, mining grew by 17% while construction activities increased by 11%, showing continued internal economic strength.
“We are working with traders and other government institutions to find alternative markets. It is still early, even though the war has lasted two weeks, we cannot yet say how long it will take. The impact will be clearer after about three months,” Murangwa added.
Looking ahead, Rwanda is taking steps to secure enough petroleum products to avoid shortages of fuel and diesel. The minister said the country is not expected to be heavily shaken by the conflict, noting that Rwanda has faced similar challenges before and managed to overcome them.
“Even though there are challenges, they are not new. What we can say is that we do not expect to be heavily affected. There are already measures in place to support traders, ensure fuel supply, and find new markets. There will not be a breakdown,” he said.
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